, and regard as somewhat
legendary what Fordun tells us--viz., that Gilbert divided all his huge
territory into three equal parts, giving two to the Church, and keeping
only one to himself, still there cannot be a doubt but that he was one of
the most liberal and extensive church-endowers on record. It was by him
that the Bishopric of Dunblane was founded; it was by him that the Abbey
of Canons-regular, at Inchaffray, was richly endowed through his
attaching to it the tithes of many of the neighbouring parishes. The
foundation charter of the Abbey, dated 1200 A.D., in the thirty-fifth
year of the reign of William, records the giving and making over to the
Abbey of the Church of S. Kattan, at Aberuthven; the Church of S.
Ethirnin, at Madderty; the Church of S. Patrick, at Strageath; the Church
of S. Mockhessoc, at Auchterarder; and the Church of S. Bean, at Kynkell.
It will be seen that Dunning is not in this list. But it appears along
with some other parishes in a second charter granted by the same Gilbert
in 1217, which charter confirmed the grant of previously gifted parishes,
and adds "the Church of S. Serf at Monzievaird, S. Bean at Foulis, S.
Bridget at Kilbryde, the Holy Trinity at Gask, Tullichettel at Comrie,
and S. Serf at Dunnyne."

It is highly probable that between 1200 and 1219--say, about 1210--the
Church of S. Serf at Dunning was built. And that we have a considerable
portion of the original building still remaining is rendered almost
certain from what is known of the style of architecture of the period
referred to--viz., the Norman in transition--the Norman entering on a
First Pointed. The grey Tower, with its quaintly-mullioned windows and
saddle-back roof; the wall adjoining the Tower on the north, and
containing a fine Norman doorway and an interesting line of corbels; the
handsome arch rising from massive pillars, and showing beautifully
scolloped mouldings, all afford corroborative proof of the date above
assigned.[13]

If Dunning Church was built about the time we have mentioned, it would,
no doubt, be about the same time when the lands around it were erected
into a parish. We have one or two very early references. In a charter
of date 1247, Malise, Earl of Strathearn, granted 20 merks annually "de
Thanagio de Dunnyne et Pitcairn." In 1283 we find that there was made to
the Church of S. Serf a grant of "20 merks from our ferme[14] at Dunin,
to be paid half-yeirlie, at the Feast of Pentecos